Police Colorado

A Denver police officer turned up in Utah after his mysterious disappearance prompted a weeklong manhunt, and he told investigators Friday that financial and personal problems compelled him to abandon his patrol car and head west on a motorcycle. David Hayhurst, 39, who had gotten a new apartment and a job at an auto-body shop in Reno, Nev., said he decided to return home after reading a newspaper account of the manhunt and deciding: "I couldn't do this to all those good people in Denver.

A former lead detective in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case says he believes the murdered girl's mother wrote the ransom note that was in the family home the day her body was found. In an interview airing Monday on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America," Steve Thomas, who resigned in protest of what he called the lack of aggressive prosecution of the case, said Patsy Ramsey wrote the note.

All Todd Gardner ever wanted was to wear the uniform of a Los Angeles police officer. And, after working as a cop in Aurora, Colo., and San Diego, his dream came true in March when he was accepted into the Los Angeles Police Academy.

A former lead detective in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case says he believes the murdered girl's mother wrote the ransom note that was in the family home the day her body was found. In an interview airing Monday on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America," Steve Thomas, who resigned in protest of what he called the lack of aggressive prosecution of the case, said Patsy Ramsey wrote the note.

They found his squad car in a parking lot between some warehouses at 3:30 in the morning. Motor running, emergency flashers on, driver's door open, radio still crackling. But four days have passed now, and still there is no trace of Officer David Hayhurst, no clue about what happened to a routine cop on a routine night doing a routine job. "This is just unheard of," said his commander, Capt. Mike O'Neill. Hayhurst had asked for a special assignment last Thursday when he reported for his 7 p.m.

John Denver has been sentenced to sing at a benefit concert to settle drunk-driving charges after he pleaded guilty to driving while his ability was impaired. The 49-year-old performer was originally charged with driving under the influence, but prosecutors agreed to let him plead guilty to the lesser charge. The longtime resident of this Rocky Mountain ski resort has until March 8 to complete the typical sentence of 28 hours of public service, which will include doing the benefit.

NBC's ratings for the Sydney Olympics dropped to a new low for a second consecutive night. Saturday's show, which included four track relay finals and live coverage of the men's basketball final on the East Coast, drew a 10.5 rating and 20 share. That is a tenth of a point lower than Friday's rating, dropping the cumulative Nielsen number to 14. These are the lowest-rated Summer Olympics since 1964, when only 14 hours of the Tokyo Games were televised.

The godfather of Jesse James Hollywood surrendered to Colorado police after allegedly helping him evade arrest in connection with the murder of a 15-year-old West Hills boy, authorities said Thursday. Richard Dispenza, 47, of Woodland Park, a small town near Colorado Springs, turned himself in late Wednesday and was booked on suspicion of harboring a fugitive, a felony. He posted $5,000 bail, police said.

All Todd Gardner ever wanted was to wear the uniform of a Los Angeles police officer. And, after working as a cop in Aurora, Colo., and San Diego, his dream came true in March when he was accepted into the Los Angeles Police Academy.

A Denver police officer turned up in Utah after his mysterious disappearance prompted a weeklong manhunt, and he told investigators Friday that financial and personal problems compelled him to abandon his patrol car and head west on a motorcycle. David Hayhurst, 39, who had gotten a new apartment and a job at an auto-body shop in Reno, Nev., said he decided to return home after reading a newspaper account of the manhunt and deciding: "I couldn't do this to all those good people in Denver.

They found his squad car in a parking lot between some warehouses at 3:30 in the morning. Motor running, emergency flashers on, driver's door open, radio still crackling. But four days have passed now, and still there is no trace of Officer David Hayhurst, no clue about what happened to a routine cop on a routine night doing a routine job. "This is just unheard of," said his commander, Capt. Mike O'Neill. Hayhurst had asked for a special assignment last Thursday when he reported for his 7 p.m.

Around the nation this week, several students have been arrested in incidents of violence, threats or mocking of the school shooting that left 15 people dead in Littleton, Colo., authorities said. Four teens who wore black trench coats to a Colorado Springs high school were arrested, an Ohio youth was taken into custody for threatening to kill his classmates and a 14-year-old Louisiana boy was charged with attempted murder after a 14-year-old girl was shot in the cheek.

The godfather of Jesse James Hollywood surrendered to Colorado police after allegedly helping him evade arrest in connection with the murder of a 15-year-old West Hills teen, authorities said Thursday. Richard Dispenza, 47, of Woodland Park, Colo., turned himself in late Wednesday and was booked on suspicion of harboring a fugitive, a felony. He posted $5,000 bail, police said.